Chapter Thirteen
After a long while, Snape broke the kiss and looked down at Hermione, his eyes reflecting only tenderness. He took her hand.
"Come here. I want to show you something." He said, his normally cold voice husky.
Hermione narrowed her eyes quizzically. "What might that be?" She asked with a flirtatious air. Snape only smirked in response. She let him lead her into his office, and through the door that led to his rooms. Once they got there, however, he led her to a door she'd never before noticed. When he opened it, a sight beyond imagination met her eyes.
"Oh my god!" She shrieked, "Where- There- How did you- There are so many of them!" Eagerly, she picked up the nearest book and started leafing through it.
"Most of the imbeciles in this school wouldn't appreciate it. You, though, would. It sheer volume, it is second only to the private library of Professor Dumbledore." Snape's voice reflected obvious pride, but quickly regained its sensuous quality as he took the book from Hermione's hands and wrapped his arms around her waist. He bent very close to her. "Am I forgiven?"
The ferocity with which she clamped her mouth over his told him that he was.
*
Rayna looked up, her attention drawn to the window by a dull thump. She grinned and shook her head as she walked to the window to retrieve her owl.
Dumbledore emerged from the staircase in his office. "Don't you think that it may be time to consider getting a new owl?"
Rayna laughed. "Probably," she responded, "But I've had this one since I was a student here." Her smile quickly died as she read the letter.
Ms. Dumbledore:
I feel it necessary to remind you, once again, that you have not answered a question I asked of you. I am afraid that I can no longer tolerate such disrespect. I will meet you tonight at the clearing in the Forbidden Forest. I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully, TMR
Rayna cursed. She handed the letter to her father, and set out for the Shrieking Shack.
*
Sirius opened the door to see Rayna on the stoop. He ushered her inside.
"I saw Peter Pettigrew today." He began gravely.
Rayna's eyes narrowed. "Did you kill him?"
"Didn't get the chance. He told me that I had crossed Voldemort's path too many times and to stay away from you."
Rayna rolled her eyes. "Typical. Also consistent with my day." She related the contents of the letter.
Sirius sank into a chair. "So that's it, is it? You're going to have to?"
"Bloody hell, Sirius! Do you really think I have that little loyalty to you and my father?"
Sirius hesitated. "No, but won't he kill you if you refuse?"
Rayna smirked. "I don't think he can." That was all she was willing to say. She walked over to Sirius and buried her hands in his hair. Conversation was no longer necessary.
*
That night, Rayna entered the specified clearing to find it empty. However, after only a moment, a hooded and robed figure emerged from the trees.
"Are you alone?" Voldemort hissed.
Rayna nodded as she motioned around her. "Are you?"
Voldemort's eyes studied her. "Yes."
"Then get on with it."
Voldemort's eyes showed a rare touch of emotion as he reached out a finger to stroke Rayna's cheek, but emotion was so rare in those eyes that it was unidentifiable. His voice was low, and surprisingly soft. "So will you?" He asked.
Rayna's eyes were cold and harsh. "You know better than to ask. I would never abandon my father and my family."
Voldemort raised his wand, and pointed it at her heart. "Then get out."
As Rayna started to make her way through the thick trees, she heard the cry of 'Avada Kedavra' from behind her. She ducked in time to see the jet of green light hit a tree just to her right.
*
Dumbledore hammered on Snape's office door.
"What?" snarled Snape, throwing it open.
"You are neglecting your duties. Until now, I have been turning a blind eye to your escapades. Do not expect that to continue, Severus, unless you make even an attempt to help us." Dumbledore turned. He had made his point.
TBC
After a long while, Snape broke the kiss and looked down at Hermione, his eyes reflecting only tenderness. He took her hand.
"Come here. I want to show you something." He said, his normally cold voice husky.
Hermione narrowed her eyes quizzically. "What might that be?" She asked with a flirtatious air. Snape only smirked in response. She let him lead her into his office, and through the door that led to his rooms. Once they got there, however, he led her to a door she'd never before noticed. When he opened it, a sight beyond imagination met her eyes.
"Oh my god!" She shrieked, "Where- There- How did you- There are so many of them!" Eagerly, she picked up the nearest book and started leafing through it.
"Most of the imbeciles in this school wouldn't appreciate it. You, though, would. It sheer volume, it is second only to the private library of Professor Dumbledore." Snape's voice reflected obvious pride, but quickly regained its sensuous quality as he took the book from Hermione's hands and wrapped his arms around her waist. He bent very close to her. "Am I forgiven?"
The ferocity with which she clamped her mouth over his told him that he was.
*
Rayna looked up, her attention drawn to the window by a dull thump. She grinned and shook her head as she walked to the window to retrieve her owl.
Dumbledore emerged from the staircase in his office. "Don't you think that it may be time to consider getting a new owl?"
Rayna laughed. "Probably," she responded, "But I've had this one since I was a student here." Her smile quickly died as she read the letter.
Ms. Dumbledore:
I feel it necessary to remind you, once again, that you have not answered a question I asked of you. I am afraid that I can no longer tolerate such disrespect. I will meet you tonight at the clearing in the Forbidden Forest. I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully, TMR
Rayna cursed. She handed the letter to her father, and set out for the Shrieking Shack.
*
Sirius opened the door to see Rayna on the stoop. He ushered her inside.
"I saw Peter Pettigrew today." He began gravely.
Rayna's eyes narrowed. "Did you kill him?"
"Didn't get the chance. He told me that I had crossed Voldemort's path too many times and to stay away from you."
Rayna rolled her eyes. "Typical. Also consistent with my day." She related the contents of the letter.
Sirius sank into a chair. "So that's it, is it? You're going to have to?"
"Bloody hell, Sirius! Do you really think I have that little loyalty to you and my father?"
Sirius hesitated. "No, but won't he kill you if you refuse?"
Rayna smirked. "I don't think he can." That was all she was willing to say. She walked over to Sirius and buried her hands in his hair. Conversation was no longer necessary.
*
That night, Rayna entered the specified clearing to find it empty. However, after only a moment, a hooded and robed figure emerged from the trees.
"Are you alone?" Voldemort hissed.
Rayna nodded as she motioned around her. "Are you?"
Voldemort's eyes studied her. "Yes."
"Then get on with it."
Voldemort's eyes showed a rare touch of emotion as he reached out a finger to stroke Rayna's cheek, but emotion was so rare in those eyes that it was unidentifiable. His voice was low, and surprisingly soft. "So will you?" He asked.
Rayna's eyes were cold and harsh. "You know better than to ask. I would never abandon my father and my family."
Voldemort raised his wand, and pointed it at her heart. "Then get out."
As Rayna started to make her way through the thick trees, she heard the cry of 'Avada Kedavra' from behind her. She ducked in time to see the jet of green light hit a tree just to her right.
*
Dumbledore hammered on Snape's office door.
"What?" snarled Snape, throwing it open.
"You are neglecting your duties. Until now, I have been turning a blind eye to your escapades. Do not expect that to continue, Severus, unless you make even an attempt to help us." Dumbledore turned. He had made his point.
TBC